Live in Living Color
by katniss7475
Summary: "They say when you fall in love, you begin to see the world differently...Things change before your very eyes." Modern AU in which the world is gray until you fall in love.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys! This is my first story published on here, so I'd love any feedback that you may have, as long as it's constructive. The concept came from a prompt on tumblr that I saw and modified a little bit to fit the story. Sorry about any typos or anything like that. I'm actually a terrible proof-reader. **

**Thank you so much for reading! Enjoy!**

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They say when you fall in love, you begin to see the world differently; and not in the cheesy, cliché, you-changed-my-life kind of way. Things literally change before your very eyes.

Eponine had heard of colors, the things that apparently make the world so beautiful. She supposed they're much nicer than the dull shades of gray that make up her world. Many people her age were beginning to experience color, but everyone had at least heard about them. She longed to run through the lush green forests that she read about and dive into a sparkling pool of blue, but at twenty-six years old, she began to lose hope that she would ever meet the one who would let her access this new world.

Eponine's thoughts were interrupted by the resonant voice of her best friend explaining the topic of their next rally. Enjolras was about as righteous as they come and had organized several protests to be carried out by their large group of friends. His booming voice was assertive, but not aggressive. He was never cruel unless he needed to be. Combeferre, his second-in-command had once described him as "charming but terrifying." Eponine always thought that that suited him well.

This month's rally was planning to garner support for better public education. Everyone knew the public schools in the city were dumpy at best, dangerous at worst, but no one had previously had the courage to do anything about it.

"These children deserve better," he cried, full of passion and fire. "How can we expect kids to want to go to school if their desks are falling apart and the teachers treat them worse than their parents? How can we expect them to learn and thrive in that environment?" Veins protruded from his temples as he raised his fist. "We must fight for those who cannot fight for themselves!"

The Amis cheered in agreement. Some even held up their beer bottles to the man shouting from the staircase, showing their support for the cause. Enjolras stepped down from the stairs, beaming, and walked back to his seat, shaking the hands that his friends extended to him on the way by.

He took his seat next to Eponine and picked up the beer that he had left there. After a quick swig, he turned to her.

"So, you seemed very focused during that, but not necessarily on the speech," he said with a smirk. "Got something on your mind? Or someone?" He nudged her playfully with his elbow.

"Oh, you. Always you," she said sarcastically.

"Oh, really?" he retorted with equal sarcasm. "What about me? My dashing good looks? My fabulous personality?"

"More like your humility," she replied. He laughed, but quickly became serious again.

"No, really. Is everything okay? You looked upset."

"I'm fine, Enj', really." She smiled as genuinely as possible. "If you're really that worried about me you can always buy me another beer," she joked. He got up anyway.

"Be right back," he chuckled, walking towards the counter.

She returned to her thoughts, imagining what the world must look like in color. She wondered what colors certain things might be. What if her skin was a pale green, or her hair a dark blue? She pondered this with some amusement until Enjolras returned with the drinks.

She thanked him as he set the bottles down on their small table and happily took a long sip, feeling the cold liquid rush down her throat. _Imagine if beer is pink,_ she thought with a smile. A smile which Enjolras quickly picked up on.

"What's so funny?" He asked, smoothing back his hair and checking his teeth, causing her to laugh.

"No, no, it isn't you," she said. "I was just…thinking."

"About what?" he inquired.

She paused, not wanting to share her private thoughts. But then again, this was Enjolras, her best friend in the whole world. He would never judge her. "Colors," she said softly.

He was silent for a moment. Then he took a deep breath. "Have you…started seeing them yet?" He seemed almost nervous.

"No, of course not. You know I would have told you the second I did."

"Oh, okay," he said with a sigh of relief. "Just making sure."

"I was just wondering, you know, what it'd be like."

"To see them?"

"Yeah."

"I bet it's incredible," he smiled, looking at her in wonder.

"I bet it is," she smiled back, before returning to her beer.

* * *

Enjolras walked into his apartment later that night and immediately sank down onto the couch. Hearing Eponine talk so longingly about colors made his heart ache. She, more than anyone, deserved love and colors and happiness. Knowing that she had yet to find someone who could give her what she deserved was awful. She wanted nothing more than the reds and blues and greens of life, but he wondered if she would ever be able to let anyone break down the thick walls she had constructed around her heart. They kept her from getting hurt, but also prevented her from the thing she desired most in life.

He smiled as he imagined Eponine's face the moment she really saw the world for the first time as it was meant to be seen. He knows she would like the fall leaves more than anything. The earth looks extraordinary in full color, every detail sharper and more beautiful.

Enjolras should know. He had been seeing in color since the day he met her.

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**Hopefully that wasn't too bad. Let me know what you think, including anything you liked, disliked, laughed at, etc. I don't really have much of a plan for this, but I do plan to continue it at some point. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**So, after this chapter, I don't really have much of a plan as far as this story goes. I'll try and continue it as much as possible, but I have no idea when that may happen. Enjoy this chapter, though! And again, please give any feedback you have! Thanks for reading!**

**ALSO, totally forgot to do this in the first chapter, but these characters are based off the 2012 movie cast, but if you have someone else in mind, by all means, go with it.**

**One more thing (also forgot this in the last chapter- will fix later):**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Les Miserables or any of these characters, as much as I wish I did.**

**Enjoy!**

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They met in college. They attended the same university, although they had vastly different majors, and both frequented the Café Musain just off campus. She sat alone with her cup of coffee and a sketchbook, while he sat either alone with a large textbook or amongst friends bearing maps and plans for future rallies.

She had heard him speak once or twice, but had never spoken to him. The last thing she needed was some rich boy telling her what was wrong with the city. She knew the evils of the city better than anyone, having grown up in the poorest neighborhood for miles. She learned to steal long before she learned to read. She wouldn't have anyone pity her or try to "fix" her. She was stronger now because of it and she merely scoffed at these boys trying to change the world.

Eponine sat at her usual table near the back, dragging her gray pencil across the gray paper of her sketchbook, drawing nothing in particular, but distracting herself all the same. Suddenly, the table shifted and her sketchbook was drenched with hot coffee.

"What the hell is your problem? Watch where you're going!" She screamed without looking up. She tried in vain to blot the paper with a wad of napkins, but the damage was done.

"Sorry," said a deep voice from above her. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." He sounded genuine enough.

"You ruined my drawing! Did you not notice the _table_ in the middle of the café?" She finally looked up to see the boy who had run into her. His curly hair was mussed as if he had been running his fingers through it all day. His chiseled features were twisted into a look of apology and sympathy.

"I'm really sorry," he said again, running his fingers through his hair, messing it up even more. "It's been a long day and I guess I just wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Is there anything I can do?"

"I don't think so. I think it's beyond saving," she replied disappointedly. "It's okay. I have another one at home." Her eyebrows came together in thought for a moment as she stared at the man. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe you've heard me speak here? My friends and I have created a social activist group and we meet here to plan our rallies," he said proudly.

"That must be it. I've seen you guys in here a few times. The pretty boys trying to save the poor and destitute," she finished dryly.

"And what's so bad about that?" he asked, offended.

"Nothing, just that not everyone needs some hero to come and fix things. Some people can survive just fine on their own," she replied, the argument getting heated.

"And how would you know? Have you seen the conditions these people are living in? Nobody can possibly raise a child in that kind of environment." They were practically yelling now, gesturing wildly.

She suddenly stopped, silently seething. She brought her face unbearably close to his, her index finger poking into his chest. "Listen to me," she said, her words dripping with rage. "You don't know _anything_ about life in the slums. You are not some superhero who can just drop in there with your fancy words and make everything better. And don't you _dare_ doubt _anyone's_ ability to survive the slums. Those people are stronger than you will _ever_ be. Believe me when I say that you wouldn't last a _day_ in that part of the city, so back off."

She stepped back at the end of her rant and saw that he was absolutely floored. But she also noticed the corners of his lips turn up ever so slightly. He was impressed by her knowledge and her fire. He apologized for his ignorance and extended his hand to her. "I'm Enjolras, by the way."

She reluctantly shook his hand. "Eponine."

"Not to be weird, but that was amazing," he admitted. "I've never seen someone that passionate in a debate before."

"Well, that is, in fact, weird, and thank you, I guess." She didn't really know how to respond. Her blood was still rushing from telling him off.

He watched as she blushed slightly and he froze. Her cheeks were distinctly red. He had never seen red cheeks before. Or red _anything_, for that matter. It was beautiful. _Just like her_, he thought and then stopped himself. _What the hell is going on? Isn't this only supposed to happen when… But I only just met her! I can't be…_

Yes, he very much could.

* * *

That day, he walked through the small park in the center of the city. He spent half the time marveling at the beautiful colors around him that he never had the chance to appreciate before now. The other half of the time he spent thinking about Eponine.

He had never met a girl like her before, that much as certain. But how could he _possibly_ be in love with her? They barely spoke for five minutes and all they did was yell at each other. Her words were cutting and icy and he had never seen anything so fierce as her. No one had ever spoken to him like she had, and _no one_ had ever bested him in a debate before. Eponine was definitely special, but love? Enjolras wasn't so sure.

She was beautiful, of course: her long brown hair falling in loose waves down her back, her brown eyes bright and lively. He couldn't help but notice her full lips pursed in anger and wished he could have swooped down and kissed her. _Woah, Enjolras. You just met this girl. This is absurd,_ he , he couldn't get her out of his head. He saw her in everything. The brown of the fallen leaves matched that of her eyes. The woman jogging by had the same olive-toned skin. Every visual, every color brought her to mind.

He wondered if she felt the same. Could she see this wonderful new world, too? Or did her life remain gray?

* * *

Eponine stared at the painting. Something was off about it, but she couldn't tell what exactly. Anyone who saw it would be able to tell that it was the park across the street from her studio apartment. The monotonous gray tones blended together in her mind until all she saw was a mess. She picked up the canvas and threw it in the garbage. She decided that life itself was grey and always would be.

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**Well, I hope you liked it! Once again, I'm not really sure where to go from here with this, but I'll try to keep it going. So please drop me a line down below, what did you like, what did you hate, favorite lines/parts/etc. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you again for reading and reviewing and favoriting and following this story, and please continue to do so! I love getting feedback from you all and you've all been so kind. Again, after this, I'm not really sure when the next update will be or where to go next with this, but I'll try and update as soon as I can. Enjoy Chapter 3!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. I am merely a penniless writer.**

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The next day, they met in the café again. When she entered, her hair windswept and her bright red scarf blowing in the breeze, he smiled warmly from his table near the back. He decided he liked the color red best—especially on her. She carried a large textbook, much different from the sketchbooks she normally brought with her. Some small part of him wondered if that was his fault.

She bought a large coffee and began to walk back to her normal table to find it occupied by none other than Enjolras. She turned towards an empty table on the other side of the café, but as she did, Enjolras called out to her. "You could sit here, if you like."

She turned slowly to face him. "No that's fine, you don't have to move," she said calmly. "You were there—"

"I wasn't planning on moving," he responded, a bit shy.

Eponine stood dumbfounded for a second, but quickly regained her composure. "What so just because we spoke once that makes us best friends now? Is that what this is?"

"Well, you could always sit down and we could talk about it," he countered.

"Fine. I'll sit," Eponine decided, just to appease him, but did not speak as she opened her book and began reading silently.

After a moment of awkward silence, Enjolras gave a weak attempt at a conversation.

"So, is that book for a class?" he said, embarrassed by how stupid he sounded.

She looked up at him, an eyebrow raised in annoyance. "No I just find the economics to be extremely fascinating," she deadpanned.

"Sorry," he said, putting his hands up in defense. "Just trying to make some conversation."

"Look, I said I would sit here, but I never said I wanted to talk to you," she said bitingly.

"Maybe you would if you would just stop being such a stubborn bitch all the time and give me a chance!" he responded, regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth.

"_Excuse_ me?" she shouted incredulously. "_What_ is your problem? Why do you feel the need to talk to me? We barely know each other and both times we've spoken, we've just ended up shouting at each other, so why bother?"

_Because you made my world beautiful._ He wanted to say, but he knew that would only make things much worse. In truth, he didn't fully understand his own feelings on the subject.

"I would just like to point out that both times we've spoken, you've been the one to initiate the yelling," he joked instead, trying in vain to lighten the mood.

"Well, let's just say I've been provoked," she grumbled in response, pretending to focus on her book.

"So what do you say, can we at least try being civil to one another?" he proposed. He held out his hand as a peace offering. "Acquaintances?"

She looked up at his hopeful expression and sighed, rolling her eyes. "Fine," she said as she shook his hand.

A bright grin stretched across his face. "So now that we're acquaintances, we should probably get to know each other a bit more. So what's your major?"

"Art and art history," she said. "And you?"

"Pre-law," he replied. "I want to advocate for those who can't afford to fight for themselves."

"Oh boy, a future lawyer. How exciting," she said sarcastically, causing him to laugh. "That explains the speeches, I guess."

"Yeah, I guess so. What's your favorite food?" he asked, easily switching topics.

"That's a tough one," she said, beginning to smile. "Probably macaroni and cheese. What's yours?"

"Definitely fettuccini alfredo," he replied quickly.

"Good choice," she nodded, pleased. "Favorite genre of literature?"

"Historical fiction. You?"

"Adventure for sure."

"I could have guessed," he chuckled, shaking his head.

"What's wrong with adventure books?"

"Nothing, you just look like the type of person who would like adventure books."

"And what makes you think that?" she said, grinning.

"Oh, um… nothing, I just…" he fumbled nervously with his words. He quickly tried to change the subject. "What's your favorite color?"

_Shit._

She stared at him blankly for a moment. "You mean between gray, gray, and gray? I'm gonna have to go with gray," she said taking it as a joke. He laughed weakly in response.

* * *

They met in the café nearly every day over the next few weeks. They would discuss whatever topics came up and came to know each other extremely well. He learned that she only drank decaf coffee because she hated what caffeine did to her. She learned that he preferred his coffee black with one sugar. She hated spiders; he was terrified of snakes. She had two younger siblings with whom she lost contact when she moved out for school. He had never gotten along well with his parents but still kept in contact around the holidays. They found that they both had a secret obsession with Disney movies. Her favorite was _Beauty and the Beast_; his favorite was _Robin Hood_, naturally.

The two grew closer and closer until, before either of them had realized it, they were the best of friends. He loved the way her eyes sparkled when she spoke about something she felt strongly about. She took pride in making him smile after every argument they had. He could never stay mad at her for long.

He noticed she never seemed to talk about any dates or boyfriends she had. He wondered if she just kept these things from him, figuring he wouldn't be interested or if she truly had nothing to tell about. He so wished he knew, so that he could finally cross that line from friends to something more, but he didn't want to ruin what they already had. No, he decided, he would keep his feelings to himself. Even if it meant never telling her how much he truly loved her.

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Hope you liked it! Let me know what you think, what you liked, what you didn't like, what made you smile, etc. and if there's anything you'd like to see in this story, let me know that, too! As always, thanks so much for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm back! I am so sorry that this took as long as it did. Writer's block got to me and life just got in the way. But I'm back now and hopefully this new chapter will keep you interested until I can finish the next one. Also, I'm considering changing the rating on this story to T instead of K+. Thoughts? Yes? No? Maybe? Let me know in the reviews and as always, thanks for reading!**

Months went by in the same manner. The two met often and grew closer. He helped her with her homework. She helped him revise his speeches. They frequently had movie nights or went out to eat, but it was strictly platonic. For months, Enjolras yearned to tell Eponine how he felt, but didn't for fear of ruining their friendship.

One afternoon in late May, Eponine burst into the café. She approached Enjolras quickly and greeted him through an enormous grin.

"What's got you so excited, missy?" he teased.

"I've got a date tonight," was her response. His heart sank.

"A…date?" he said.

"Yeah," she said sarcastically. "It's this thing where you go out with someone you like and they buy you dinner."

"I know what a date is," he bit back.

"Wow, what's got your panties in a bunch, Enj?" she mused, laughing.

"Nothing," he said as he quickly collected his things and fled the café.

_A date? She has a date? _He thought, defeated. _Who could she be going on a date with?_ She never spoke of anyone else. Her love life seemed to be as nonexistent as his as far as he could tell—although she could have gotten any kind of lover she wanted if she tried. She truly was beautiful and her personality—though rough around the edges—was pretty spectacular once she opened up.

Jealousy pumped through his veins until his face was hot and his fists were clenched. _Why can't she see that there's a great guy right in front of her? _

As angry as her obliviousness made him, she was his best friend and if she really liked some other guy, he had to at least try to be supportive of that.

Eponine slipped into a short, tight-fitting dress and dangerously high heels while she waited for her date to arrive. Her hair tumbled over her shoulders in loose waves and her eyes were dark and smoky.

The doorbell rang and she opened it with a sultry grin. "Hey, Mark," she said.

The tall, handsome man in the doorway looked her over, grinned to himself and offered his hand. "Hey, Ep. Ready to go?"

She grabbed her bag off the table by the door and took his hand as he led her to his car. Even in her towering heels, he was still a few inches taller than her, and his dark hair was neatly brushed to one side. He opened the car door for her and she was astounded. She had never been out with such a gentleman before.

"So where are we going?" she asked as he pulled out of the driveway.

"It's a surprise," he said mysteriously.

"Oh, come on. Tell me," she said like a child on Christmas.

"I can't," he said, smiling.

"Not even one little hint?" she begged mockingly. She tried to give him puppy dog eyes, but couldn't keep a straight face. Luckily, neither could Mark.

"Fine, but only so you don't ever try the puppy face on me again," he laughed. "We're going to Flinq, that new, modern place on Bayview Ave."

"Really?" she asked in disbelief. "I've heard that place is amazing! But don't you have to make reservations, like, weeks in advance or something?"

"I have a friend who's a host there. I had to call in a few favors, but it'll be worth it."

"You're awesome," she declared.

He chuckled. "You're pretty great yourself, Ep."

Dinner went extremely well and Eponine was looking forward to a second date. They talked and laughed the whole ride home, singing along to the radio whenever a particularly good song came on.

Although she couldn't wait to take her shoes off and go to sleep, Eponine was almost disappointed when Mark pulled into her driveway. She didn't want this night to end. He parked the car and jogged around to open her door for her again and help her out of the car. He kept hold of her hand as he walked her up to the front door.

"I had a really great time tonight," she said as he opened the door.

"Me too," he said, his gaze flickering between her eyes and her lips. She caught herself doing the same. Mark leaned in and gently brushed his lips against hers. They lingered for a moment, and then pulled apart.

Eponine was a bit taken aback. She expected to feel some kind of spark like in the movies and storybooks, but she felt nothing. She was excited, sure, but she wasn't sure whether she was more excited to be kissing Mark or to be able to change into pajamas. Still, she smiled coyly at him and said, "Will I see you again?"

"I'll call you tomorrow," he winked, before turning and walking back to his car. Eponine walked inside, kicked off her shoes, and went to her room to change. She checked her phone when she reached her room to find a text message from Enjolras from earlier in the evening.

"Good luck tonight."

**Yay friendship! That's why everyone's reading this, right? No? Well don't worry. I'm sure it'll all work out eventually. But, anyway, let me know what you liked, what you hated, what made you laugh, any lines/parts you enjoyed, and whatever else you can think of in the reviews. I hope to have Chapter 5 ready soon, but with school starting this week (ugh), I'm not sure how feasible that is. But I shall try! Thank you so much for reading!**


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